Dish-cleaner



(No Model.)

M. STONE. DISH CLEANER.

No. 552,210. Patented Dec. 31,1895.

. rock-shaft.

UNITED STATES MELVIN STONE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES STONE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

.DlSH-CLEANER.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,210, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed April 1, 1895. Serialsllo. 544,062. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVIN STONE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dish-Washing Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of the invention with lever shown up in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of upper edge of plunger. Fig. 4 is a detail of bearing for Fig. 5 is a plan view of crate for dishes.

This invention has for its object the provision of a simple, cheap, efficient, and easilythe letter A designates a portable outer receptacle, which in the present instance is of cylinder form, and B a second imperforate watertight cylinder'or tank arranged concentrically within the first, and having an inclined or conical bottom. The cylinder B does not extend to the bottom of the outer cylinder, which is extended suffioiently below to form a heating-chamber D in which may be placed a suitable heater D. This heater may consist of a coal-oil stove, or a gas or gasoline burner. The cylinder B is attached to a ring E supported on the outer cylinder, said ring closing at the top the space or chamber between the said cylinders. This space forms a heating-chamber, perforations abeing formed through the outer wall of such chamber near its top and bottom to facilitate the draft.

F designates a plunger which is provided with a downwardly-opening valve f in its bottom, and which is arranged to reciprocate within the inner cylinder B. Said plunger comprises a receptacle open at the top and having a perforated lateral wall. The diameter of the plunger is slightly less than the inner diameter of the cylinder or tank B (usually about one inch) and is guided to a true vertical movement by means of the lugs a. Near the upper edge the metal of the plunger is beaded outwardly, as indicated at 1), into contact with the wall of the cylinder or tank B, such bead acting as a line of packing. The

upper edge portion of the plunger is drawn outwardly, as indicated at c, to form a second line of packing. Between these two lines of packing large perforations (Z are formed. In

operation, any water which passes the bead Rigidly attached to the upper portion of this plunger at opposite points are two vertically-extended plunger rods or arms G, which extend to points slightly above the upper edges of the cylinders, where they are loosely connected respectively with vertical 8o arms H H, the upper end portions of said arms G G being curved over laterally and a bolt inserted through the bow thus formed. Upon these bolts the arms H H pivot.

By extending the arms G G to form these I bows I not only provide a more extended bearing for the pivot-bolts, but the connections between the plunger-rods and the vertical arms H II are greatly strengthened.

The arm H'at its end portion is pivotally 0 secured to the cranked arm h of a rock+shaft I, which is j ournaled in the lower portion of the outer cylinder A and extends diametrically across the heating-chamber thereof.

The opposite projecting end portion of said shaft is squared and is fitted to receive the socket of an operating-lever I, whose upper extended portion constitutes a handle. To this lever is pivotally secured the lower end portion of the arm H, the pivotal point being at a distance from the center of the shaft I equal to the distance therefrom of the pivotal point of the lever H to the arm 71/. As the lever I is oscillated, it is apparent that the arm II will be alternately forced up and drawn down, (see the dotted lines, Fig. 1,) the rock-shaft being rocked at the same time to cause a corresponding movement of the arm H, the result being the reciprocation of the plunger in the cylinder B. The downstroke of the plunger compresses the water in the cylinder B and forces it in a plurality of jets through the perforations of the plunger F upon the dishes placed in the said plunger. Upon the upstroke the valve f opens and discharges the water from the plunger.

The dishes are usually placed in a crate or basket J made up preferably of wire and having an outer annular chamber J and a central chamber J elevated above the annular chamber. The bottoms of these chambers are outwardly and downwardly inclined, and the lateral walls thereof flare outwardly and upwardly, whereby the dishes are held in such a manner as to expose their surfaces most eifectually to the action of the spraying-jets. This construction also causes the dishes to drain very rapidly, so that they quickly dry when removed from the washer or rinser by reason of the heat which they retain. Vertical handles L are attached to opposite sides of the crate or basket whereby it, with its load of dishes, may be readily inserted into or removed from the washer or rinser. Other forms of baskets may, however, be employed. Such crate or basket is placed in the plunger.

In order to provide proper bearings for the rock-shaft I, I provide small plates or castings M, which are riveted to the cylinder A and which are formed with hollow hubs or bosses which extend from both sides of the plate or casting, the extension at the inner side being fitted to the perforation made therefor in the cylinder. These hubs or bosses constitute the bearings for the rock-shaft.

In my Patent No. 516,557, dated March 13, 1891, for a dishwasher, the vertical arms which correspond to the arms II H of the present invention are fulcrumed to stub journals or studs which are secured to the outer shell. I have found, however, and especially with machines of considerable size, that this arrangement is not satisfactory, for the reason that the operating-lever has no connection except with one of said vertical arms. This throws the strain wholly upon one side, which tends to cause a lateral bind of the plunger against the wall of the inner shell and interferes with the reciprocation of such plunger.

By the provision of the rock-shaft I it will be observed that bot-h the arms H II are positively actuated by the operation of the actuatinglever, which results in an equal action upon both sides of the plunger, which is enabled to reciprocate with a true vertical 1n ovement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a washing machine having a water tight tank which constitutes a washing receptacle, a support therefor, and a laterally perforated, self-packing plunger arranged to reciprocate vertically in said washing receptacle, of a rock-shaft journaled loosely in the lower portion of said support, said shaft having one of its projecting end portions fitted to receive a lever and its opposite portion formed with a crank-arm, an operating lever engaging said shaft, a pair of vertical arms one of which is loosely connected at its lower portion to said crank-arm and the other to said lever, and vertical arms secured to said plunger and i having loose connections with the respective arms first named, substantially as specified.

2. In a dish washing machine, the combination of an outer receptacle, an imperforate Water tight vessel arranged concentrically within the first, with a heating chamber around and below it, a self-packing plunger arranged to reciprocate within said imperforate vessel, said plunger havinglaterally perforated walls and a downwardly opening valve in its bottom, the vertical rods G connected to opposite sides of said plunger, said rods being exten dcd beyond the upper edge of the outer vessel and bent laterally and downwardly at their upper portions, the rock shaft I loosely journaled in the lower portion of the outer vessel through which it extends diametrically with its ends projecting, one of such ends having an upwardly extending arm, 7L,l1l16 arm H pivotally connected to the arm h, the operating lever I secured on the opposite end of said shaft, the arm 11 pivotally connected to the said lever, and pivot bolts which form a loose connection between said arms II, H and the respective rods G, said bolts extending across and having bearings in bows formed at the upper portion of said rods G, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN STONE. WVitnesses:

GEORGE II. PARMELEE, PHILIP (J. MASI. 

